Reel for pile fabrics with notched base



June 15, 1965 c. o. WILLIAMS 3,189,172

REEL FbR P'ILE FABRICS WITH NOTCHED BASE Filed June 28, 1963 Clarence 0. Williams x INVENTOR.

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MWMl/qfi 4M9 United States Patent 3,139,172 REEL FOR PlLE FABRICS WITH NOTCHED BASE Clarence 0. Williams, P.0. Box 226, Rocky Mount, NC. Filed June 28, 1963, Ser. No. 291,422 Claims. (Cl. 206-51) The present invention generally relates to an improved reel and package for storing and shipping pile fabrics such as velvet and the like especially in cardboard containers and in such a manner that the layers of fabric wound upon the reel are separate from each other. Specifically, the present invention provides a notched base plate so constructed whereby it may fit into existing equipment for enabling the use of the reel without the necessity for changes on the part of the fabric manufacturer and their customers in the use of these reels since the reel of the present invention is constructed in such a manner that it is adapted for use with existing loading and crating jigs.

Pile fabric reels presently in use are relatively expensive and heavy and require skilled workers for their assembly. Actually, the reels presently in use normally require the destruction of the shipping carton thereby preventing its re-use. In view of the expense of conventional reels, it was necessary to maintain repair departments or workshops to keep them in proper repair rather than discarding the reels after they have been used.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a reel completely independent of the shipping carton which eliminates damage to the carton When shipping and when removing the fabric from the carton with the reel including a base plate which is notched in the opposed side edges thereof for adapting it for use with existing loading and crating machinery.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a reel for pile fabric which may be easily assembled and is provided with radial arms connected to a base plate and having a mounting ring attached to the opposite or inner edges thereof with the ring telescopically receiving an elongated interconnecting tube which is notched to receive the inner edges of the cross-arms in such a manner that the end of the tube will rest against a longitudinal stiffening rib formed in the arms for enabling a continuous stiffening rib to be provided on the arms for increasing the strength and lasting qualities of the reel.

Another important feature of the present invention is to provide a novel reel for pile fabric in which the reel is quite simple in construction, easy to assemble, adapted for use with existing reeling and crating machinery, easy to assemble and disassemble and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the reel incorporated into a carton with portions of the carton being broken away illustrating the structure and orientation of the reel;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded group perspective view of one end portion of the reel with the ends of the arms being broken off;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3--3 of FIGURE 1 illustrating further structural details of the reel; and

FIGURE 4 is a detailed sectional view of one of the arms illustrating the construction thereof and its association with the elongated tube.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 15) generally designates the reel structure incorporated into a carton generally designated by the numeral 12 for winding pile fabric 14 thereon in a manner well-known in the industry.

The reel assembly it includes two identical end assemblies interconnected by a tubular member 16 having longitudinal notches 18 extending inwardly for a short distance from each end of the tube 16. The tube 16 extends through the center of the package and through the center of the pile fabric 14 and interconnects the two end assemblies.

The end assembly of the reel 10 includes four radially extending arms designated generally by the numeral 20 with each arm including a main flange 22 extending longitudinally of the package 12 and radially toward the corners thereof. The outer edge of the flange 22 is provided with a flange 24 in perpendicular relation thereto. The flange 24 forms a reinforcement and a stiffener for the flange 22. The opposite edge of the flange 22 from the flange 24 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally L-shaped hooks 26 which open radially outwardly for engaging the convolutions of pile fabric. Also, the flange 22 is provided with a longitudinally continuous rein forcing rib 28 of generally V-shaped configuration as illustrated in FIGURE 4 with one wallof the rib 28 being inclined while the other wall is perpendicular to the flange 22 thus forming a substantially flat surface 30 for engagement by the end of the tube 16 when the tube lid is associated with the arms 25) so that the inner end portions of the flanges 22 are received in the notches 18 as illustrated in dotted line in FIGURE 4 thus rigidifying the connection between the tube 16 and the radial arms 26. Also, rigidly attached to the radial arms 2% is an annular ring or sleeve 312 of cylindrical construction that is suitably welded to the inner edge of the flanges 22 as at 34 with the sleeve or ring 32 telescoping over the ends of the tube 16 when connected with the arms 26). Thus, the portion or" the flanges 22 inwardly of the sleeve 32 may be imperforate and the sleeve 32 closely surrounds the tube 15 as illustrated in FIGURE 3 and also in FIG- URE 2. The inner end of each flange 2,2 is provided with a laterally extending lug 36 which abuttingly engages the flange 22 of an adjacent arm whereby the lugs 36 may be rigidly secured together by suitable welding or the like and by welding to a base plate 38 of generally square construction which has the arm 26 radially associated therewith and the flanges 24- of the arms 2t may be welded to the base plate 38 as at 46. Thus, extremely rigid construction of the arms 2t) is formed by connecting the ar ns rigidly to the square base plate 33 and to each other by virtue of the lugs or flanges 36 which may be welded together.

Opposite side edges of the base plate 38 are provided with inwardly extendina generally U-shaped notches 2.2 which may be provided in either two or all four sides of the base plate as desired with this construction adapting the reel to existin loading and crating jigs by virtue of such machinery having mechanisms which are received in the notches 52.

The stiffener rib 28 is deep stamped and the surface 36 forms a flat surface which stops the tube at the stiffener thus forming an effective support for the tube. This orientation of the tube 16 so that it rests on the stiffener 25 also allows for a continuous rib 2.8 from one end of the reel arm 2% to the other end thereby adding substantial strength thereto. Further, the incorporation of the notches 42 eliminates the necessity of the fabric manufacturer and their customers modifying any existing loading or crating machinery since this construction will adapt the reel for use with most types of existing loading and crating jigs or machinery. Thus, the hooks illustrated in the present invention are elfective for holding the fabric and also the arms and reel are sufliciently rigid in construction that they are not too heavy thus providing a lightweight, strong and yet relatively inexpensive reel structure. The outer end of each arm 20 is provided with an acute angular flange 44 for engaging the corners of a carton 46.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a package for pile fabric, a reel structure com prising an elongated spacer tube adapted to extend throughout a center of a spirally wrapped pile fabric roll, said spacer tube having circumferentially spaced longitudinal notches at each end thereof, an end assembly engaged with each end of said tube, each end assembly including a generally square plate having notches in at least two edges thereof for engaging existing loading and crating machinery, a plurality of arms secured to said plates in generally perpendicular relation thereto with the arms being disposed radially across the corner portions of the plate and including webs disposed perpendicular to the plate for reception in the notches in the spacer tube, each arm including a reinforcing rib forming a flat surface engaging the end of the tube, and a sleeve encircling the tube and rigidly secured to said arms for retaining the tube and end assemblies in properly orientated relation, each arm having hooks on the axially inner edge thereof extending substantially throughout the entire length of the inner edge thereof for engagement with the convolutions of the pile fabric roll.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer end of each arm has an acute angular offset portion for engagement in the corner of a polygonal container whereby the arms form radii of said container.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said sleeve is of rigid cylindrical construction closely encircling and frictionally engaging said tube.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said arms includes a lateral flange on the longitudinal outer edge thereof for reinforcing the arm.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein each arm includes a laterally offset radially inner end with the inner ends engaging an adjacent arm and rigidly secured thereto.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said reinforcing rib extends throughout the length of the radial arms.

7. In a package for pile fabric, a reel structure comprising an elongated spacer tube adapted to extend through a hollow center of a spirally wrapped pile fabric roll, said spacer tube having circumferentially spaced longitudinal notches at each end thereof, an end assembly frictionally engaged with each end of said tube, each end assembly including a polygonal plate having corners, a plurality of arms secured to the surface of said plate in generally perpendicular relation thereto with the arms disposed across the corners of the plate and including webs disposed perpendicular to the plate and received in the notches in the spaced tube, the radially inner end of each web having an offset portion disposed perpendicular thereto in abutting engagement with the adjacent arm and being of a length to be received within the confines of the spacer tube, said arms having a sleeve of cylindrical configuration rigidly attached to the axially inner edge thereof for telescopically and frictionally engaging the end of the tube, and the web of each arm having a lateral rib offset therein defining an abutment for the end of the tube when the axially inner edge of the web is received in the corresponding notch in the spacer tube.

8. The assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said rib on the web of the arm is provided with a laterally extending surface perpendicular to the web for forming a fiat abutment for engagement with the end of the tube.

9. The structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said axial inner edge of each web is provided with a plurality of L-shaped hooks thereon, said hooks being longitudinally spaced and opening radially outwardly, the radially outer end of each arm having an acute offset end portion forming a corner of a box enclosing the fabric reel.

10. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein said plate includes notches in opposed side edges thereof for engagement by existing winding and reeling machinery during assembly of the package.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 279,576 6/ 83 Leaycraft 28723 1,400,529 12/21 Copeland. 1,885,693 11/32 Dunlap 242ll8.;61

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PACKAGE FOR PILE FABRIC A REEL STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SPACER TUBE ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGHOUT A CENTER OF A SPIRALLY WWRAPPED PILE FABRIC ROLL, SAID SPACER TUBE HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED LONGITUDINAL NOTCHES AT EACH END THEREOF, AN END ASSEMBLY ENGAGED WITH EACH END OF SAID TUBE, EACH END ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A GENERALLY SQUARE PLATE HAVING NOTCHES IN AT LEAST TWO EDGES THEREOF FOR ENGAGING EXISTING LOADING AND CREATING MACHINERY, A PLURALITY OF ARMS SECURED TO SAID PLATES IN GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR RELATION THERETO WITH THE ARMS BEING DISPOSED RADIALLY ACROSS THE CORNER PORTIONS OF THE PLATE AND INCLUDING WEBS DISPOSED PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLATE FOR RECEPTION IN THE NOTCHES IN THE SPACER TUBE, EACH ARM INCLUDING A REINFORCING RIB FORMING A FLAT SURFACE ENGAGING THE END OF THE TUBE, AND A SLEEVE ENCIRCLING THE TUBE AND RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID ARMS FOR RETAINING THE TUBE AND END ASSEMBLIES IN PROPERLY ORIENTATED RELATION, EACH ARM HAVING HOOKS ON THE AXIALLY INNER EDGE THEREOF EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE INNER EDGE THEREOF FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONVOLUTIONS OF THE PILE FABRIC ROLL. 